Apparatus for reporting ends down on textile yarn forming machines



g- 1970 TEIJIRO SUZUKI APPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN ON TEXTILE YARNFORMING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1968 INVENTOR. UZU K IATTORNEYS B tmko S 3,523,415 ON TEXTILE Aug. 11, 1970 TEIJIRO SUZUKIAPPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN YARN FORMING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Sept. 26. 1968 INVENTOR.' Tsszrnzo 5uzum ATTORNEYS 11, 1970TEIJIRO SUZUKI 3,523,415

APPARATUS FOR REPORTING ENDS DOWN 0N TEXTILE YARN FORMING MACHINES FiledSept. 26, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 I28 l ZZJ 22! :21 252 I 38 25g 32K 25Q26 26 2b Z6 Z9 29 9 M inf o 2 2 2s 2 25 21 25 21 2\ V 5;) a L @i .2 2626 26 2e 26 29 29 {29 29 $29 a 30 v INVENTOR. Jig-7 FE-\JIRO SuzumByfiwwwgwfldmm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 015cc 3,523,415 PatentedAug. 11, 1970 Int. Cl. D01h 13/16 US. Cl. 57--81 12 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE In order to make possible greater efiiciency in thetending of textile yarn forming machines such as spinning and twistingmachines, the apparatus of the present invention includes detectoroperable in response to ends down on the machines for signaling thepresence of ends down, a discriminator for receiving end down signalsand for distinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of endsdown on particular machine sides, which number is selected as indicativeof an inefficient operating condition for a machine side, and a warningannunciator device operatively connected to the discriminator fordirecting a machine operator to the particular machine side most needingattention.

Yarn forming machines such as spinning frames and the like are typicallyfairly narrow in width and relatively long, with a plurality of spindlesbeing mounted on each side thereof. In modern mills, a plurality of suchspinning frames are arranged in a mill room with two or more spinningframes aligned end to end and extending longitudinally to form a row anda plurality of such rows arranged side by side to form transverse linesof machines. The aisles formed between the rows are usually relativelynarrow, just sufficient to provide access to the sides of the spinningframe by the machine operators, commonly known as spinners, andnecessary equipment. Access to the operators work aisles is providedfrom each end by one or more alleys adjacent the ends of the spinningframes, extending transversely to or at the ends of the longitudinalrows, such as between the transverse lines of machines or between theend of a machine and an adjacent wall.

*Customarily, the spinners, who have the responsibility of detectingyarn ends down on the machines and piecing up such ends down, patrol aplurality of sides of machines by Walking a more or less predeterminedpath back and forth in the longitudinal work aisles. The number ofmachine sides, or the total number of spindles, allocated to anindividual spinner is usually based upon the minutes the spinner willwork during each hour of machine operation, the time required for thespinner to walk the length of a frame, the time required to put up thenumber of ends of yarn which are likely to be down on a side during eachhour, and the time required to perform any other tasks assigned to thespinner. The resulting allocation results in the spinner spending asubstantial portion of time walking along the length of the framessearching for ends down, much of which could otherwise be moreeffectively spent in correcting ends down by piecing up the yarn.

Recognizing that the efiiciency of utilization of operators hours in thetending of spinning frames or the like may be substantially increased ifthe allocation of work time between walking and piecing up may bechanged, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus whichwhen used in combination with a plurality of machines such as spinningand twisting machines, directs the spinner to the particular machinesides which most need attention. This permits the spinner to reduce theamount of time walking or patrolling the sides of the machines,

and permits a greater portion of time to be spent in piecing up,resulting in higher efiiciency and permitting a spinner to handle alarger number of machine sides or spindles.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide means for detectingindividual ends down on a textile yarn forming machine, and means forinforming the spinner when a predetermined ends down condition, such asan excessive number of ends down, exists on a given machine side,whereby the spinner may proceed directly to such machine side withoutunnecessary walking.

It is recognized that merely detecting and counting ends down is notsuflicient, because a yarn forming machine may be run with a smallnumber of ends down, such as three to six ends, before the operatingcondition of the machine becomes so inefficient and uneconomical as torequire piecing up of the ends. It is therefore an important object ofthis invention to provide discriminator means, in combination with meansfor detecting ends down, which discriminator means can be set to actuatea warning or signal annunciator means upon a predetermined number ofends down occurring on a machine side. The annunciator means ispositioned for ready observation by the spinner, for example at the endsof the frames easily visible to a spinner in the cross alleys, wherebythe spinner may be promptly informed of an unsatisfactory operatingcondition on a particular machine side and move directly to such machineside without unnecessary walking.

Thus, in realizing the objects of the present invention, apparatus isprovided which includes detector means responsive to each end andoperable to detect an end down and create a signal in response thereto.Signals of each end down are delivered to a discriminator means which iscapable of distinguishing signals representative of a predeterminednumber of ends down on a machine side in accordance with a managementdecision as to what number is indicative of an inefficient operatingcondition and requires the spinners attention. The discriminator meansis connected with an annunciator warning or signaling device, which isactuated in response to the predetermined number of ends down on aparticular machine side or sides, for warning the spinner of the machinecondition and thereby directing the attention of the spinner to thosemachine sides most requiring piecing up.

Some of the obects and advantages of the invention having been stated,others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofthe combination of the present invention as installed with a pluralityof spinning frames arranged in a textile mill;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of certain of the operatingelements of one of the spinning frames of FIG. 1, illustrating certainimportant features of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a detector means inaccordance with the present invention as incorporated into the apparatusand combination of FIGS. 2 and 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional view through aportion of the detector means of FIG. 3, taken generally along the line4-4 in FIG. 3 and illustrating the cooperation of the detector meanswith an end of yarn, in a mannr similar to the illustration of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a side view, in partial section, through a modified form ofthe detector means of FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement within a mill room of aplurality of spinning machines incorporated in the combination of thepersent invention; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuitry ofelements of the combination of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the apparatus of thepresent invention is there illustrated in combination with the pluralityof spinning machines (FIG. 1). Each of the spinning machines, asgenerally known, passes roving from packages R hung in a creel area ofthe frame through drafting zones typically defined between spaced apartpairs of drafting rollers. Attenuated roving is delivered by the frontset of drafting rolls 11, 12, known as the delivery rolls, to be takenup on a bobbin B driven in high-speed rotation by a spindle on which thebobbin is mounted. Between the delivery rolls 11, 12 and the bobbin B,the yarn is threaded through a pigtail 14 and a traveler mounted forfree movement about a ring supported on a ring rail 15. Inasmuch as thebobbin B is driven in rotation at relatively high speeds, twist isinserted into the attentuated roving between the delivery rolls 11, 12and the bobbin, causing the attentuated roving to be formed into a yarnY. Each yarn Y is generally referred to as an end during its process offormation, and interruption of the formation of an end results in thecondition known as an -end down and in the absence of the yarn Y betweenthe delivery rolls and the bobbin.

In order to detect the presence of each end of yarn Y being formed bythe spinning frames 10, in accordance with the present invention,detector means generally in dicated at are provided for sensing the endsof yarn being formed by the machines 10 and are mounted in predeterminedoperative association with each side of each of the spinning frames. Inthe illustrated embodiments, the detector means 20 includes a pluralityof pivotally mounted wand members 21, corresponding in number to thenumber of yarn Y being formed on and by spinning frames 10. Each Wand 21is mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontally extending axis,defined by a pivot pin 22, and is positioned so as to be engaged by thecorresponding end of yarn Y intermediate the front delivery rolls 11, 12and the pigtail 14 (FIG. 2). Preferably, each of the wands 21 has anoutline configuration generally similar to an M or W, and is mounted forengagement with the corresponding end of yarn Y within the bifurcatedportion of the outline configuration. Frictional engagement between theend of yarn Y, upon passage of the same from the delivery rolls 11, 12to the bobbin B, and the corresponding wand 21 pivots the wanddownwardly about the axis defined by the pivot pin 22 (to the solid lineposition of FIG. 4).

In order to provide for the mounting of a plurality of the wands 21, thecorresponding pivot pins 22 preferably are supported upon an elongatehousing member 24, which is in turn secured to a support beam 18 of aspinning frame 10 (FIG. 2). The housing 24 additionally functions toenclose electrical circuit elements operatively associated with each ofthe wands 21, including a moving contact member 25 and a cooperatingfixed contact 26 which is engaged by the moving contact 25 under certainoperating conditions. The moving contact 25 is mounted upon a pivotingarm 28, which is connectable to the corresponding wand 21 for movementtherewith about the axis defined by the common pivot pin 22 about whichthe arm and wand both move. The connection of a wand 21 with acorresponding pivoting arm 28 is such that downward movement of the wand21 during engagement thereof with the corresponding end of yarn Y drawsthe pivoting arm 28 upwardly (to the solid line position of FIG. 4),raising the moving contact 25 from the stationary contact 26. However,upward movement of the wand 21 beyond a releasing position (thelowermost of the two phantom line positions of the wand 21 in FIG. 4)frees the wand from engagement with the pivoting arm 28, to permitraising of the wand 21 to a generally vertically extending position (theuppermost phantom line position of FIG. 4) while the pivoting arm 28drops the moving contact 25 into engagement with the stationary contact26. The weight of the moving contact 25 and pivoting arm 28, as comparedwith the weight of the corresponding wand 21, is chosen to be such thata small gravitational bias acts to raise the wand 21 against thedownward force frictionally imposed thereon by the yarn Y. Thegravitational bias assures prompt movement of the moving contact 25 intoengagament with the stationary contact 26 upon the corresponding end ofthe yarn Y going down.

Each stationary contact 26 has electrically connected thereto acorresponding resistor 29, having a preselected value, and the resistors29 for each of the wands 21 mounted on the housing 24 are electricallyconnected by a common conductor 30 extending through the housing 24. Byelectrical connection of the pivoting arms 28 to the housing 24, thehousing 24 serves as a common electrical connection to all of the movingcontacts 25 operated by the wands 21 mounted thereon. Thus, as ends godown along the length of a frame 10, resistors 29 are brought into aparallel circuit arrangement one to another.

With the detector means 20 thus functioning to signal the presence of anends down on the spinning frames 10, by electrically connecting one ormore of the resistors 29 between the common conductor 30 and the housing24, the apparatus of the present invention further includes adiscriminator means generally indicated at 31 (FIGS. 1 and 7) andoperatively connected to the detector means 20 for receiving such endsdown signals. The function of the discriminator means 31 is todistinguish the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down onmachine sides, by responding to the ends down signals originated by thedetector means 20. In the illustrated embodiments, the signalsoriginating with the detector means 20 are variations in resistancelevels resulting from the connection of a plurality of resistors 29 inparallel between the common conductor 30 and the housing 24. Thus, thediscriminator means 31 must respond by distinguishing between thevarious resistance levels which may be present between thoseelectrically conducting elements. Preferably, and in accordance with thepresent invention, the response level of the discriminator means 31 issetable, in order to permit the management of the mill in which thespinning frames 10 are operating to select that number of ends downwhich are considered to represent an inefiicient operating condition ofa machine side, which condition requires the attention of the spinner tocorrect the ends down on that side by piecing up. Upon recognition bythe discriminator means 31 that the predetermined number of ends havegone down on an associated machine side, a warning device is actuated todraw the attention of the spinner to that particular machine side. Inthe illustrated embodiments, the warning device is an electric lampannunciator means 32, preferably mounted on the end of the associatedone of the frames 10 and adjacent an alley for catching the attention ofa spinner moving in the alley and directing the spinner to the frameaisle requiring attention. If desired, lamps 32 may be connected forindicating specific machine sides requiring attention and may bepositioned at both ends of the corresponding machine side to direct aspinner to that specific machine side from either adjacent alley. Asimilar display is employed in conjunction with detectors specificallydisclosed as moving along the length of a spinning frame in applicationSer. No. 794,880, filed J an. 29, 1969 and entitled Apparatus and Methodfor Detecting and Reporting Ends Down on Textile Machines and in U.S.Pat. 3,486,319, both owned in common with this application.

The following discussion of the operational arrangement and detailedfunction of the discriminator means 31 and annunciator means 32 proceedsmost clearly by reference to the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 7,wherein a multiple position function switch 34 may be seen to controlthe input connection of a resistance responsive electrical switchingcircuit in the form of an amplifier, generally indicated at 35, having awinding of a current responsive relay 36 connected in the output circuitthereof. In accordance with known electronic techniques, the flow ofcurrent through the winding of the relay 36 controls the position of aswitching armature of the relay, to thereby vary the conductive state ofan associated contact set 38. The contact set 38 is wired, throughconductors 39 and 40, to control the application of electrical currentto the electric lamp annunciator means 32.

In order to vary the current flow in the output circuit of the amplifier35 in accordance with the number of ends down of the machine side, thefunction switch 34 permits selective electrical connection of thecollectorbase circuit of an amplifier transistor 41 to the housing 24and common conductor 30 of the detector means 20 or to predeterminedresistances 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47. The resistances 43 through 47 arechosen to have predetermined values, corresponding to the resistancevalues obtained when a predetermined number of the resistors 29 includedin the detector means 20 are electrically connected in parallel. Thus,each of the resistances 43-47 may be considered representative of apredetermined number of ends down on that portion of a machine ormachines sensed by the detector means 20 to which the discriminatormeans 31 is electrically connected. In order to permit setting thecurrent flow through the emitter circuit of the amplifier transistor 41to levels such that the pull-in current for the winding of the relay 36is present under predetermined ends-down conditions, a variableresistance 49 is additionally included in the circuitry of the amplifier35.

In operation, the function switch 34 is positioned to connect into theconnector-base circuit of the transistor 41 of the amplifier 35 aselected one of the predetermined resistances 43 through 47, whichresistance is selected as indicative of a predetermined number of endsdown, such as five ends down. The biasing current on the transistor 41is then adjusted by means of the variable resistance 49 until thecurrent flowing through the winding of the relay 36 is sufiicient toclose the contact set 38 and apply electrical energy to the electriclamp annunciator means 32. Proper setting of biasing values is thenchecked by moving the function switch 34 to the next adjacent lowervalue one of the resistance 43 through 47, to determine Whether or notthe electric lamp annunciator means 32 is extinguished 'by opening ofthe contact set 38 in response to insertion of a resistance valuecorresponding to a lesser number of ends down. In the event that thecontact set 38 does not open, the variable resistance 49 is adjusteduntil the contact set does open and the electric lamp annunciator means32 is extinguished. Adjustment proceeds until such time as movement ofthe function switch between the two adjacent resistors consistentlyresults in the lamp alternately being energized and being extinguished.Then, with adjustment completed, the function switch 34 is moved toelectrically connect the housing 24 and the common conductor 30 of thedetector means 20 into the biasing circuit for the transistor 41 of theamplifier 35.

At this point, with normal formation of the ends of yarn on the sides ofa spinning frame or frames being monitored by the corresponding detectormeans 20, the biasing applied to the transistor 41 is such that thecurrent flowing in the emitter circuit is not sufficient to render thecontact set 38 conductive and the electric lamp annunciator means 32 isthus not energized. As end go down, the bias on the transistor 41 isvaried until the current flow ing in the emitter circuit is sufficientto change the conductive state of the contact set 38, energizing theelectric lamp annunciator means 32, and informing a spinner thatattention is required.

In order to direct the attention of a spinner only to those machinesides requiring correction of a selected, predetermined number of endsdown, it is preferred in accordance with the present invention to soconstruct the detector means 20 as to extend along the full length of aside of a spinning frame 10. Thus, the wands 21 mounted on the housing24 of the detector means sense the presence of ends of yarn along thefull length of the frame side.

It is further contemplated that the discriminator means 31 andannunciator means 32 may be constructed in such a manner as to give atwo-stage Warning to the spinner. In achieving this result, thediscriminator means is constructed to incorporate two resistanceresponsive switching circuit amplifiers such as the amplifier 35 of FIG.7, with each of the amplifiers controlling a corresponding relay andeach relay governing the electrical energization of a correspondingwarning device. The two amplifiers within such a single discriminatormeans are provided with separate gain control variable resistors, topermit individual setting of the resistance values at which the currentflowing in the output circuit of the amplifiers is suflicient to causeclosure of the associated relay contacts. Mill management may then setone of the amplifiers to energize the associated annunciator means at afirst predetermined number of ends down, such as five ends down, whilesetting the other of the amplifiers to energize its correspondingannunciator means at a second and higher predetermined number of endsdown, such as eight ends down. In the operation of the combinationincorporating such a two-stage discriminator and annunciator means, theattention of the spinner will be directed to a machine side locationupon the occurrence of the first predetermined number of ends down, suchas five ends down. Thereafter, should the spinner fail to correct theends down condition of the machine side and an additional predeterminednumber of ends go down, such as three additional ends, the secondwarning annunciator will be energized, to inform the spinner and millmanagement that the ends down condition of the spinning frame isworsening. Such a two-stage warning has an additional advantage in thatmill management, on quickly surveying the spinning room of a textilemill, may judge from the appearance of the second warning signalswhether or not the spinners are performing properly in responding to theinformation that machine sides require piecing up of the ends down.

While the detector means 20 as disclosed to this point has been foundacceptable in operating embodiments, it is contemplated that othervariations for the switching structure involved in the detector means 20may be adapted if found desirable. More particularly, it is contemplatedthat an enclosed and lint protected switch structure may be adopted foruse where the accumulation of lint within the housing 24 is found to bea problem and in order to decrease the probability that electricalcontact will not be completed between the moving and stationary contacts25, 26. In adopting an enclosed lint protected switch, the switchstructure may be similar or identical to that disclosed in US. Pat. No.2,882,374, granted on Apr. 14, 1959 to E. H. Granberry. Such a switchstructure has additional and further advantages, in that the enclosuresthereof are constructed for slip mounting onto a continuous trackwayoutlet, thereby facilitating installation of the switch devices onto aspinning frame such as the frames 10.

It is further contemplated that the detector means 20 may be combinedwith the yarn guiding pigtails 14, by replacing the wands 21 of H or Woutline configuration with a wand 21' (FIG. 5) having a pigtail orsnailwire configuration. While the combining of the wand and the pigtailinto a single structure reduces the number of machine elementsinterposed between the delivery rolls 11 and 12 and the bobbin B onwhich yarn Y is wound, the choice between location for the yarn engagingsensing devices 21 and 21 may be made in order to accommodate thecombination of this invention to the particular design of the spinningframes 10, the desires of the mill management in which the equipment isto be installed, or other such factors.

In view of the capability of the combination of the present invention toaccommodate electrical interconnection of the detector means 20 on morethan one frame side with a single discriminator means 31, it is contemplated that each of the discriminator means 31 may be electricallyconnected with the detector means 20 mounted on the facing or opposingsides of a pair of spinning frames 10. As discussed briefly above, eachpair of sideby-side spinning frames defines, between the opposingmachine sides thereof, an operators aisle for access by the spinner tothe spindles and other machine elements. It is contemplated that aspinner, upon being directed to a machine side for the correction ofends down conditions, will enter into the operators aisle and piece upall ends down on both of the facing machine sides which define theoperators aisle. In view of this contemplated work operation by thespinner, it is preferred that the annunciator means 32 be correlated toa particular operators aisle, rather than to a specific machine side.Thus, the spinner is informed of an improper operating condition as tothe pair of facing, opposed, machine sides, is directed to the operatorsaisle defined therebetween, and is expected to piece up on both of themachine sides. The distribution of ends down between the two machinesides thus being reported to a single discriminator means may be in anyrandom manner, varying between no ends being down on one frame with thepredetermined number being down on the other, and the reverse condition.Electrical connections of this type are indicated in the schematicdiagram of FIG. 7, and a satisfactory mounting for the discriminatormeans 31 and annunciator 32 on the head end of the frames is illustratedin FIG. 1.

The influence of the combination of the present invention upon thepatrolling patterns of a spinner may best be described with reference toa plan view of a spinning room in a textile mill (FIG. 6). Such a viewmakes clear the relative length of the operators aisles 50 definedbetween facing machine sides and the alleys 51 defined between the lineof spinning frames 10. As discussed briefly above, the operators aislesare quite long and narrow, typically running to approximately fifty feetin length and having a width of only approximately two and one-halffeet. The alleys 51 extending perpendicular to the operators aisles, aremuch wider, having widths such as six feet, and extend adjacent the headand foot ends of the spinning frames 10. Thus, mounting of theannunciator means 32 at the head and foot ends of the frames 10 permitsa spinner to stand in an alley 51 and view the annunciator lamps of aplurality of the spinning frames 10. As annunciator means are energizedto inform the spinner of an inefficient operating condition within aparticular operators aisle St the operator may move in the alley 51 tothe indicated operators aisle 50, enter the aisle, and put up ends onthe tWo machine sides which together define the operators aisle. A workpattern of this type differs markedly from a work pattern wherein thespinner is directed to patrol the operators aisles 50 in a serpentinemanner and along a predetermined path, searching for ends down on theframes 10 and piecing up such ends down as they are found. It has beenfound that the reallocation of the spinners working time between walkingand piecing up which is made possible by this change in patrollingpatterns will permit a major increase in the operating efficiency of thespinner.

In the drawings and specification, there have been set forth preferredembodiments of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn formingmachines such as spinning and twisting machines in a textile mill, ofapparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend the machinesby directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attentionand comprising detector means for sensing the ends of yarn formed bysaid machines and operable in response to ends down thereon forsignaling the presence and machine side location of ends down,discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means forreceiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishing thesignaling of a predetermined number of ends down at a machine sidelocation, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of aninefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciator meansmounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operativelyconnected to said discriminator means and operable in response theretofor informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine sideexceeds the predetermined number, so that the attention of the operatoris directed to those machine sides requiring correction of excessiveends down.

2. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn formingmachines such a spinning and twisting machines in a textile mill, ofapparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend the machinesby directing an operator to those machine sides most needing attentionand comprising detector means including yarn end sensing means mountedon each side of each of said machines and operable 'in response to endsdown thereon for signaling the presence and machine side location ofends down, discriminator means operatively connected to said detectormeans for receiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishingthe signaling of a predetermined number of'ends down at a machine sidelocation, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of aninefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciatormeans'mounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operativelyconnected to said discriminator means and operable in response theretofor informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine sideexceeds the predetermined number, so that the attention of the operatoris directed to those machine sides requiring correction of excessiveends down.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said yarn formingmachines are arranged in the mill with opposing machine sides definingoperators aisles therebetween extending perpendicular to an alley, andfurther wherein said annunciator means comprises a number of Warningdevices at least corresponding in number to the number of operatorsaisles, each of said warning devices being mounted adjacent acorresponding one of said operators aisles and being operativelyconnected to said detector and discriminator means for advising anoperator of the ends down condition of the machine sides defining saidcorresponding one operator aisle.

4. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said yarn end sensingmeans includes a plurality of yarn sensing wands corresponding in numberto the number of ends of yarn formed on the respective one of saidmachine sides and mounted on said yarn forming machines in predeterminedrelation to the paths of movement of ends of yarn formed thereby, eachof said wands sensing the presence of a corresponding one end.

'5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said detector meansfurther includes a plurality of electrical resistance devicescorresponding in number to the number of said yarn sensing wands andbeing electrically connectable one to another in response to the sensingof an end down by the corresponding wands so as to vary the totalelectrical resistance imposed thereby in response to the number of endsdown on a machine side and further wherein said discriminator means issensitive to variations in electrical resistance for distinguishng thenumber of ends down.

6. The combination according to claim 2 wherein each of said yarnforming machines has operating instrumentalities including for each ofsaid machine sides delivery rolls from which ends of yarn issue alongpredetermined paths of travel to a ring rail and wherein said yarn endsensing means of said detector means is positioned to sense the presenceof each end of yarn at a location along the corresponding path of yarntravel between the delivery rolls and the ring rail.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said yarn end sensingmeans includes a number of yarn sensing wands corresponding to thenumber of ends of yarn formed on the respective one of said machinesides and positioned between said delivery rolls and said ring rail forguiding ends of yarn along said paths of yarn travel while sensing thepresence thereof.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the operatinginstrumentalities of said yarn forming machines further include yarnguiding pigtails for each of said machine sides interposed between saiddelivery rolls and said ring rail for guiding ends of yarn along saidpaths of yarn travel and wherein said location of yarn end sensing isbetween said delivery rolls and said yarn guiding pigtails.

9. The combination, with a predetermined number of textile yarn formingmachines such as spinning frames arranged in a textile mill inside-by-side longitudinal rows with at least one alley between laterallines of machines, of apparatus for reducing the operator-hours requiredto tend the machines by directing an operator to those machine sidesmost needing attention and comprising:

detector means for signaling the presence and machine side location ofends down and including a number of yarn end sensing electrical switchdevices corresponding to the number of ends of yarn formed by saidmachines and a number of electrical resistance devices corresponding tothe number of said switch devices and electrically connectable one toanother in response to actuation thereof, each of said switch devicesbeing mounted on one of said machines for actuation by the presence of acorresponding one end of yarn so that the presence of ends down on saidmachines is signaled by a variation in total resistance of said detectormeans,

discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means fordistinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down at amachine side location and including a number of resistance responsiveelectrical switching circuits at least corresponding to the number ofpairs of facing, opposed, machine sides, each of said electricalswitching circuits being electrically connected to corresponding ones ofsaid switch and resistance devices for responding to resistancevariations indicative of the number of ends down on the correspondingfacing, opposed, machine sides by a change in conductive state, and

annunicator means operatively connected to said discriminator means forinforming an operator that the number of ends down at a machine sidelocation exceeds the predetermined number and including a number ofelectrically energizable warning devices at least corresponding to thenumber of said electrical switching circuits, each of said warningdevices being operable in response to a change in conductive state of acorresponding one of said electrical switching circuits and beingpositioned adjacent the corresponding pair of machine sides, so as todirect the attention of the operator to those machine sides upon anexcessive number of the ends thereon going down.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein the electricalconnection of said yarn end sensing electrical switch devices and saidelectrical resistance devices of said detector means is so arranged asto connect said resistance devices in parallel upon the sensing of endsdown and further wherein each of said resistance responsive electricalswitching circuits of said discriminator means includes an electricalamplifier having said correspondthereof for varying the output currenttherefrom and a current actuated relay device responsive to said outputcurrent.

11. Apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend apredetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinningand twisting machines in a textile mill, by directing an operator tothose machine sides most needing attention and comprising detector meansincluding yarn end sensing means Operable in response to ends down forsignaling the presence and machine side location of ends down,discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means forreceiving ends down signals therefrom and for distinguishing thesignaling of a predetermined number of ends down at a machine sidelocation, the predetermined number being selected as indicative of aninefficient operating condition of a machine side, and annunciator meansmounted adjacent respective machine side locations and operativelyconnected to said discriminator means and operable in response theretofor informing an operator that the number of ends down on a machine sideexceeds the predetermined number.

12. Apparatus for reducing the operator-hours required to tend apredetermined number of textile yarn forming machines such as spinningframes in a textile mill, by directing an operator to those machinesides most needing attention and comprising:

detector means for signalling the presence and machine side location ofends down and including a number of yarn end sensing electrical switchdevices corresponding to the number of ends of yarn formed by saidmachines and a number of electrical resistance devices corresponding tothe number of said switch devices and electrically connectable one toanother in response to actuation thereof, each of said switch devicesbeing actuable by the presence of a corresponding one end of yarn sothat the presence of ends down on said machines is signaled by avariation in total resistance of said detector means,

discriminator means operatively connected to said detector means fordistinguishing the signaling of a predetermined number of ends down at amachine side location and including a number of resistance responsiveelectrical switching circuits at least corresponding to the number ofpairs of facing, opposed, machine sides, each of said electricalswitching circuits being electrically connected to corresponding ones ofsaid switch and resistance devices for responding to resistancevariations indicative of the number of ends down on the correspondingfacing, opposed, machine sides by a change in conductive state, and

annunciator means operatively connected to said discriminator means forinforming an operator that the number of ends down at a machine sidelocation exceeds the predetermined number and including a number ofelectrically energizable warning devices at least corresponding to thenumber of said electrical switching circuits, each of said warningdevices being operable in response to a change in conductive state of acorresponding one of said electrical switching circuits.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD E. WATKINS, PrimaryExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R.

ing resistance devices connectable into a biasing circuit 242-37

